Necessary
by CardiffDoll
Summary: Janto AU fic - though mostly canon-compliant pre-Reset. UNIT staffs a new historian for Torchwood so that Ianto can fulfill a more active role. But you know Jack... will Tess find a new role of her own?
1. Chapter 1

**Necessary**

Timeline: AU, mostly canon compliant pre-Reset

Rating: This chapter is T, but the arc as a whole is best rated M.

Pairings: Jack/Ianto, later Jack/OFC (Trust me, this is a Janto fic as a whole!)

Disclaimer: Obviously, we know who owns these characters and it's not me - with the exception of Tess, she's my fault. If I did own them, we'd never get anything of substance done, so it's probably just as well. ;)

Author's notes: Unbeta'd, for the record. Also: WiP, more chapters to come… obviously. The first is very plot heavy, stay with me for angst and smut. Xx, cd

**CHAPTER ONE**

Tess NicNairne stepped into the reception area, manicured hands clipping her umbrella shut as she took notice of the man behind the desk. A quick glance round the small room confirmed they were alone; she doubted they got many visitors. A bit unsure of herself, she approached him and did exactly as she had been instructed to do, though she felt a little sheepish about the whole thing so far.

"Maple pancakes."

It was the code phrase she'd been given last week. The exact timing of her visit had been disclosed two hours ago, and she'd had to wiggle out of her lunch date to be on her way. The lunch date was a good one, too; this trip had better be worth it.

The man behind the counter nodded once, efficiently dropping the guise of caretaker and locking the front door before opening the entrance to Torchwood, and set his mouth in a grim line before stepping through the entrance. Obviously Tess was expected to follow, though the man didn't so much as glance behind him. After a second's hesitation she started off after him, grateful for at least the pleasure of his suited silhouette if his manners were going to leave her wanting.

**.-.-.-.**

The warmth of the china cup in her hands seeped into her fingers, a welcome feeling after the downpour that had occurred on her way to the tower. That and the impeccable quality of the coffee made up very, very slightly for the fact that Tess had been there 23 minutes already, and the boss was nowhere in sight. She had been introduced to everyone, and the cursory tour of the immediate area was coming to a close, or so she thought.

"…And downstairs are the vaults, some of them I assume you'll want to see as soon as possible, but there are several that have been converted. The gym is one of those. I could take you to see them while we wait?"

Tess tried her best not to let her annoyance show. Ianto was polite to the extreme, though she thought she got the idea that he wasn't too happy with her. Despite his cool demeanor, he was exceedingly informative, which was nice since it seemed she wasn't going to get that from any of the other sources.

"I think that would be best. Let me just hang my coat and -"

"That won't be necessary, Ianto. I'll take it from here."

No one said anything at Jack's sudden appearance. Owen busied himself in the medical bay, Tosh stared at the strings of numbers compiling themselves on her computer screen, Gwen shifted slightly in her seat as she turned another page in the centuries-old manuscript she was studying, and Ianto deftly placed a cup of coffee into the boss' hands without looking him in the eye.

"Yes, Sir."

The chatter of their voices, one animated and familiar, one a lilting brogue that would take some getting used to, died away quickly as Tess was no doubt forced to walk time and a half to keep up with Jack as they disappeared into the recesses of the Institute.

Ianto was acutely aware that the others' attentions had turned to him, and he made sure that his handling of the coffee set was not suspiciously rushed. They were almost deathly quiet in their observation, as this was the first time the team had really dealt with relationship tension between Ianto and Jack crossing into the workplace - and no one wanted to put their foot in it, so to speak. Eventually, their attentions fell fully back to their work. Ianto sat down, making a show of rounding up some papers and putting together a disc of information from the Hub's main computer, which took nearly an hour thanks to Tosh having redone all the passcodes again.

After much cursing at each firewall, he finished. Grateful for the opportunity to finally step out of the room, and thus out of the team's scrutiny, he took the disc from the computer tower and laid it carefully in a plastic sleeve. He gathered both the papers and the disc into a neat bundle and headed off to the empty office on the second level, storing them neatly on the desk before slipping off for some alone time.

**.-.-.-.**

_**The Personal Diary of Ianto Jones**_

_**2 August**_

_She's blonde. And a Scot. I'm sure she's extremely competent, but did she have to be blonde? She's far too attractive to have worked for UNIT, and now she's our problem._

…_Apologies. That's my personal life getting the better of me again. I know she doesn't mean to be a problem. And, truthfully, if Jack continues to plan for my involvement in the field, a full-time archivist will be sorely needed._

At that point, Ianto was interrupted by the unmistakable click of heels against tile, followed closely by the swell of conversation. He panicked for a moment, cursing himself for not thinking in advance of some good excuse to be holed away from the others. Deciding the best course of action was to keep quiet, he stilled his pen and tried not to eavesdrop.

Of course, he failed miserably.

"…look forward to diving right in, then."

"Glad to hear it. The archives have taken a bit of a backseat lately, and they're very much in need of attention."

Ianto could practically hear Jack wink at the woman.

"I'll do my best."

"Good! You may as well take off for tonight - the rest of the team usually leaves in about half an hour anyhow - but you have your security badge, and we'll outfit you with arms tomorrow; I expect to see you bright and early."

"Righto, Sir. I'll, em… see you tomorrow, then."

Ianto knew how much Jack enjoyed the title of Sir in certain contexts. Not that anyone else used it around here… until now, it seemed. He rolled the pen idly between his fingers, reminding himself not to listen in, though he could just imagine another wink and one of those dangerous smiles from Jack.

"Tioraidh an-drasda, Tess."

Where in the world had Jack picked up a working understanding of Gaelic? Ianto knew there were scores of things he didn't and might never know about the man, but Gaelic?

Tess' laugh was musical and light; he suspected she had already taken a few steps towards the exit. "Tioraidh!"

Ianto listened for a moment, and, hearing nothing, decided that Jack had done one of his quiet disappearances to his office. He had just poised his pen back over the paper when the doorknob turned and Jack stepped neatly in, a questioning eyebrow arched at Ianto, who obviously was at a loss for what to say.

"…Maple pancakes, Sir?" His tone was light, but he knew that Jack was aware he was a bit sore about the whole "new archivist" thing.

"Please tell me that's code for something." It was hard to keep the flicker of a grin from his lips; Jack could be damned charming when he wanted to. The captain's gaze flickered down to the diary in the other man's hands and seemed to remember that he still had a bit of work to finish up. "Right, well now that you've finished eavesdropping, why don't you bring a cup of coffee to my office? I've got something I'd like to discuss with you."

Ianto canted his head a miniscule amount, his tone and expression deadpan. "Please tell me that's code for something."

Jack grinned that grin, the dangerous one Ianto had been imagining for the past ten minutes, before turning from the room in the direction of his office.

Ianto released a sigh he hadn't realised he was holding in. Turning back to his diary, he re-read through what he'd written earlier, silently assuring himself he had nothing to worry about. With a quiet smile of anticipation about the coming "discussion," he penned a final note for the day:

…_Blondes._

**.-.-.-.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Necessary**

**Timeline**: AU, mostly canon compliant pre-Reset

**Rating**: M for sexual content and language

**Pairings**: Jack/Ianto, later Jack/OFC (Trust me, this is a Janto fic as a whole!)

**Disclaimer**: Obviously, we know who owns these characters and it's not me - with the exception of Tess, she's my fault. If I did own them, we'd never get anything of substance done, so it's probably just as well. ;)

**Author's notes**: Apologies for my volleyball style of perspective. I know it's not technically correct, but a lot of times I like the completion it affords. For clarification, the .-.-.-. can either denote a change in scene or a switch of perspective; either way, they are always linear. Xx, cd

**CHAPTER TWO**

Friday. Today would be the fourth full day of having Tess at the Hub, and Ianto had to admit that he was not hating it. Yes, he had bumped his morning routine up half an hour when he arrived on Tuesday morning to find Tess already there, conversing with Jack and insisting she could figure out the coffee machine… but other than that, she was proving to be much needed. The space junk that had accumulated in Jack's office had already been taken care of, in fact, and Ianto thought she had already moved on to the first vault; he'd hardly seen her all week.

Not that it mattered much, really. What mattered is that his role within the group was shifting, and Tess was freeing him up to better assist the team in the field. And, of course, to be Jack's mission partner of choice; they'd been out on weevil recon twice already, in fact. Ianto smiled to himself as his hands worked the coffee machine almost on autopilot, absently humming something about a "proper copper coffee pot," and he curled his fingers around two identical cups just as he heard the first stirrings of movement from Jack's office. The rest of the team was not due in for nearly another 45 minutes, and the Hub was quiet; even Myfanwy was asleep.

Heading towards Jack's office, the heady smell of coffee wafting after him, he allowed the good mood he was in to be plainly read on his face; he could tell it was going to be a very enjoyable morning.

.-.-.-.

"That's a new blend."

Jack took note of the subtle change in the way the coffee smelled without looking up from the papers on his desk. That was just like Ianto, to change perfection just as he was getting used to it. Of course, it was also just like Ianto to improve on perfection, so he wasn't really put out about it.

"Yes, Sir."

Jack took a sip, a bit of tension visibly slipping from his shoulders at the taste. He ran a hand through his hair, still damp from his morning shower, and settled the documents to one side of his desktop.

"God, that's good." Pretending not to notice the flicker of smugness that crossed Ianto's face at the observation, he switched on his green glass reading lamp and hit the power button on his computer. Suddenly looking a lot more awake, he pushed away from his desk and relieved the younger man of his cup, setting them both on the corner of the mahogany behemoth of his desk.

"Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?" Jack's hands slid effortlessly beyond Ianto's lapels, palms resting against the smooth material of his vest.

"No…" Ianto's voice was dry but amused as Jack deftly coaxed free the buttons on his vest; he was certainly direct, but not usually to this degree. "You're buttering me up… this isn't your way of firing me, is it?"

"Hardly."

Ianto waited for the complimentary statement about his usefulness.

"…The rest of the team can barely find the power switch on that blasted coffee machine. We'd be lost."

The Welshman all but snorted, fingertips sliding down Jack's shirt, pleased to touch a yielding sort of fabric as opposed to that beautiful but encumbering wool greatcoat of his. "I'm afraid your attempt at flattery is wildly awry, Sir."

The captain's grin widened, his lips ghosting along the younger man's jaw line. "So let me make it up to you."

"If you insist."

It was a game that had been played many, many times before, and it needed no further preamble. In one smooth motion, Jack slipped his hands up to Ianto's shoulders, pushing off his jacket and vest together.

Well used to this sort of irreverence, Ianto caught both garments before they could be fully discarded and laid them on a nearby chair, albeit more haphazardly than he normally would have liked. But this was Jack, and though they'd spent time together in a different capacity this week, there hadn't been a lot of time for intimacy. Save the hungry glances and knowing looks his boss had given him between tasks at the Hub since Monday and a few gropes in the SUV, they'd barely touched.

Jack was obviously making up for lost time as he captured the younger man's mouth, backing him up to the same chair he'd tossed his suit pieces onto and pushing him down to sit. Ianto realised too late that he was crushing the fabric, but as the captain's hand slid down to flip the buckle of his belt, the worry left his mind.

"Not yet."

Jack grinned at the rasp in the Welshman's voice and nipped his earlobe, giving him an opportunity to nuzzle along the hollow of his collarbone. "Your accent gets thicker when you're aroused, Mr. Jones."

Ianto bit none too gently at the slope of Jack's shoulder, drawing a ragged groan from the man. "I do know what those vowels do to you, Sir."

Jack laughed, warm and low, his hand seeking the metallic glint of Ianto's zipper. "Oh, so you've noticed?"

"Once or twice." Ianto swallowed, pressing himself into the captain's palm. "S-shirt."

"But you're not - oh. Right… mine." Jack leaned back, giving himself room without really removing himself from Ianto's personal space. Still wedged between the younger man's knees, he pulled the soft cotton over his head and tossed it unceremoniously over a shoulder before leaning back in, his lips meeting Ianto's in a heated kiss before whispering against his mouth. "Better?"

The younger man nodded wordlessly, his hands running up Jack's now bare arms, fingers spread wide over his shoulders as he pulled him closer.

Jack wasted no time returning to his task. Kneeling down, he efficiently divested Ianto of his pants, earning a conflicted whimper as he left them in a crumpled heap on the floor, turning his attention to the younger man's obvious arousal.

In that moment, Torchwood disappeared for both of them. They were senses and need and present, nothing more. This was what they'd both been thinking about, been waiting for all week. This was how they shared their feelings for each other, because words were too fragile to convey this, and neither wanted to navigate a wreckage of inadequate sentiment.

Jack's hands were tense against the inside of the younger man's thighs, and Ianto's fingers raked through the captain's hair, brushing through the last bit of dampness from his shower and tightening urgently at each of Jack's teasing murmurs.

At that moment, the door creaked open, and it seemed like slow motion as Tess walked in, clutching an enourmous filing box.

"Madainn mhath, Jack! I'm just -"

Jack and Ianto sprang apart, hastily trying to amend their appearances without much luck. Ianto settled for standing behind the chair, grateful it was a sturdy wingback, seeing as his trousers had landed near the other side of the office. Jack ran his hands through his hair, unapologetically shirtless as he grinned mischievously at the woman.

"Can I help you, Tess?"

"Oh my god, no, I'm ever so sorry!" Tess' gaze volleyed between the two men in a mixture of embarrassment and shock, and she quickly focused on Jack, seeing as he was at least wearing pants.

"Not at all." His smile didn't falter.

"Oh my god, I'll just -" She was already backing out of the room awkwardly, the oversized box in her arms not making her exit a smooth one.

Jack could barely keep from chuckling. "We'll be right out."

.-.-.-.

Stepping out into the main area of the Hub, Ianto observed with no small amount of dismay that the rest of the team had arrived. A quick glance at his watch confirmed his suspicions, a lesson he should've learnt ages ago: time flies when you're having fun. He made a mental note to remember the stopwatch next time.

Just as the Welshman took an unobtrusive place at the kitchen nook, tidying and readying for the meeting later in the afternoon, Jack slipped from his office looking delightfully mussed.

"G'morning, everyone." He was so relaxed, he didn't seem to mind that not 7 minutes ago he'd been walked in on, but then Ianto supposed that after several centuries of awkward events they probably tended to lose their awkwardness. The team responded in kind, from Tosh's lively "Good morning!" to Gwen's passing kiss on the cheek as she moved to her computer, to Owen's cursory wave from the medical bay.

Seeing that they didn't need any further instruction from him to settle in for the day, Jack strode over to Tess, meaning to discuss whatever had been on her mind this morning. The blonde, however, had regained her wits but not all of her tact.

"You're ah… together, then?" Tess canted her head in Ianto's direction before returning her gaze to Jack, looking him over.

"Yes. We're a couple." Jack glanced sideways at a stammering Ianto for a fraction of a second, nearly laughing at how red he still was but managing to hang on to some semblance of professionalism as he turned back to face Tess, his tone intentionally light. "Is that a problem?"

"A problem? N-no, not strictly speaking, it's just…"

"Just what,Tess?"

"Just that this is the sort of thing UNIT would frown upon, is all. Fraternisation with team members is a liability."

"Maybe in some cases. But it can also be a strength, and more importantly it's the way we've always done it around here. UNIT is one thing… Torchwood is another. Do I make myself clear?"

Ianto was stone still at the kitchen nook, wishing for nothing more in the world than a crisply pressed suit, as his rumpled appearance obviously screamed he'd just had a romp with the boss. The blonde tactfully ignored him as she bobbed her head curtly. "Of course, Sir."

"Glad to hear it." Jack's voice was warm, but his tone made it obvious that this was case closed; the topic would not be for discussion again, at any time.

The tension in the room was obvious still, and Ianto desperately hoped Tess would clear out before he developed a twitch. Mercifully, she seemed to want to leave just as desperately.

"I'll, er… be in the archives if you need me." She ducked quickly out of the room, the staccato click of her heels hurriedly fading out.

The rest of the team sat in various stages of amusement while trying to pretend they weren't. Ianto knew he was hardly going to be able to sneak off, because Jack undoubtedly had work to do and if they both disappeared the rumours would just get worse. As if on cue, the captain caught his eye, mouthing a single word before striding off to his daily obligations: "Later."

Hoping no one had caught that last exchange while simultaneously knowing he wouldn't be that lucky, Ianto carefully moved to tend the beloved chrome machine as only he could, hoping it would help smooth over the morning.

"Right… who's for coffee, then?"

.-.-.-.

The Personal Diary of Ianto Jones

6 August

It's been a tense week at Torchwood 3. And on top of it all, it seems Miss NicNairne is a little disturbed by my relationship with Jack.

Relationship. I have one with each member of Torchwood, technically - but Jack can't seem to leave it that ambiguous. He's still taken with calling us a couple; it's going to take some getting used to. Not because I dislike it, believe me. It's just… new. But then, I doubt Jack will ever stop being that.

As for Tess… I'm not sure coffee will fix this one.

.-.-.-.


	3. Chapter 3

**Necessary**

Timeline: AU, mostly canon compliant pre-Reset

Rating: this chapter is T for innuendo (possibly K+, but let's be safe here) but the arc as a whole is rated M

Pairings: Jack/Ianto, later Jack/OFC (But trust me, this is a Janto fic as a whole!)

Disclaimer: Obviously, we know who owns these characters and it's not me - with the exception of Tess, she's my fault. If I did own them, we'd never get anything of substance done, so it's probably just as well. ;)

Author's notes: Again, the **.-.-.-. **can either denote a change in scene or a switch of perspective; either way, they are always linear. Xx, cd

**CHAPTER THREE**

The first thing Tess noticed was that the archives were oddly clean. After her first hour observing the team it made perfect sense, though: Ianto. The man was wicked capable, and incredibly efficient. Detail oriented. No wonder Jack wanted his talents elsewhere, but Tess was quickly learning there was even more to that story.

Torchwood was proving very different from her post at UNIT. Obviously it was cleaner. But also, the relationships here were shocking, not in the sense that she was shocked by displays of human intimacy, but in the way that they weren't hidden - were almost encouraged, in fact.

She'd thought there was something between Owen and Gwen when she'd first arrived. Assuming the rules were the same as she'd always known, she'd quickly written it off - especially once she'd learned about Rhys - but now she wondered. And Toshiko? Where did she fit in?

It was fascinating and worrying, the personal freedom that Torchwood allowed, the blurring of the professional and the recreational, and she was lost in her thoughts on the topic as Jack stepped into the room with his usual undetectable prowess.

"Very impressive."

In a split second, Tess had dropped into a clever pratfall, feinting left and taking a steady crouch as she aimed her Walther P99 instinctively at the space between his eyebrows.

His hands spread out slowly at his sides, but otherwise Jack barely reacted to being held at gunpoint. It was hardly the first time it'd happened, and there was no possibility it would be the last.

"Jesus!"

"Not quite." Jack's smile was charismatic as he gestured to the gun with a tilt of his head. "Want to put that away?"

Tess held her ground for a minute, staring him down before clicking the safety on almost reluctantly, storing the weapon back in its holster without taking her eyes off the captain. "So you're in the habit of sneaking up on all of your colleagues, then?"

Jack's grin widened, the slight shadow of dimples denting the smooth planes of his cheeks. "Some of them like it."

Tess raised an immaculate eyebrow, colouring ever so slightly and deliberately changing the subject. "I take it you've come to check my progress, then?"

"I thought I'd pop in while I was down here, yes."

"You thought you'd sneak up on me while I'm cataloguing your archives instead of waiting for my week's end report, you mean?" Tess ran a hand through soft blonde waves, more frazzled than she wanted to appear. "Well… you can see the floor, so I'll call it progress." She glanced around the room at the crates and boxes still left to tackle before she turned her attention back to Jack; he was still watching her.

"We like progress around here." He nodded, moving to the door. "Like I said - just checking in. I'll expect that report this afternoon. I trust Ianto showed you the meeting room…?"

Tess was sure she saw a flicker of giddyness as the captain mentioned the original archivist, but the hint was gone as quickly as she'd noticed it.

"Yes, Sir, he was quite thorough." She immediately kicked herself for the double entendre while the captain just grinned, his fingers gripping the doorframe as he paused.

"That he is. And precise… speaking of which, 4 'o clock. Keep up the good work 'til then."

Tess just stood in the vault, eyes fixed on the door left slightly ajar, her mouth searching for a reply as the echoes of his boots died out along the corridor.

**.-.-.-.**

Weekends had taken a quiet turn around Cardiff, and this Friday was no exception: the rift spike predictor didn't show anything they needed to worry about in the immediate future. As the team shuffled out from their debriefing, Jack straightened the stack of reports in his hands against the lacquered tabletop and caught Ianto's eye. The younger man tried to keep a straight face, hands habitually moving to adjust his tie, and Jack just chuckled.

"You're all free to go, looks like another quiet weekend here - though it's your weekend to check the predictor, Tosh. Not that I think much will happen." Jack spoke to the computer genius as she distractedly punched a code into her phone.

"Not a problem. I'll be in touch if I need you, but you may as well relax, have a lie in." Toshiko smiled sweetly; she knew the odds of that happening were slim to none.

"Not a chance." Jack grinned with a wink, all but clicking his heels together in merriment.

"I'll be around for another half hour or so if you need me, I'm going to set up a system to catalogue my progress on the catalogues…" Tess hadn't been aware how dull that sentence would sound out loud, but thankfully no one pointed it out to her, though doubtless they were all thinking it.

"I'll be around for a bit longer as well, Sir… just a spot of housekeeping I'd like to get out the way." Ianto was careful not to look at Jack, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the hopeful look from his face.

"You two overachievers… I'm headed home to Rhys and footy on the television." Gwen rolled her eyes with a laugh. "At this point I'm not sure I'm thankful it's going to be a quiet one, I could almost go for some rift activity."

"Oi, touch wood, you. I'm headed to the pub. Rift activity or no, I'm out of commission til I've got a pint or two down me." Owen slipped his jacket on, zipping it as he strode towards the exit. "You lot are welcome to join when you're finished, of course…"

"I might stop in," Tosh piped up, "…if that's alright?"

Owen cleared his throat, flickering a glance to Gwen, who was busy with her phone, and nodding quickly. "'Course. May as well stop at the Chinese for takeaway too, I'm bloody famished…"

After a few waves and general goodbyes, the team went their separate ways, and Jack headed back to his office.

**.-.-.-.**

Sitting at the keyboard, fingers restlessly typing then backspacing, Jack flicked through the CCTV archives as he waited, though he found nothing entertaining.

Three minutes later, right on cue, a section of the server flickered to life. It looked like Tess was running the rift predictor from her office, but Tosh had just reported it would be a quiet weekend, so a rerun of the program wasn't exactly necessary. Jack typed in a master code, acting on a hunch and taking an undetectable look at her desktop in real time. Unsurprised to find her inbox open, he watched as the letters spelled themselves out into words:

**From: Tess NicNairne **

**To: Gen. Ewan Abbott**

**CC: Col. Kent Evans**

**BCC:**

**General Abbott,**

**This week has allowed me time to explore the facilities here. So far, the biggest concern on that front is the lack of serious security protocols concerning the archives; most items classified a threat level C or below are immediately available to the staff without processing.**

**Perhaps the bigger concern, however, is Captain Harkness himself. It's come to my attention that the secondary archivist position at Torchwood has been utilised first and foremost to promote Mr. Ianto Jones, whom Captain Harkness has taken as a lover.**

**It's my opinion that his leadership skills are in poor standing; his personal relationship with each staff member directly affects their work, both in demeanor and actual assignment. It is my recommendation that Captain Harkness be subject to UNIT review, or, failing review (as I know our past difficulties with the man,) we entertain the possibility of a transfer for Mr. Jones.**

**As always, I will continue with regular updates about my post - this sector of the Torchwood server has been scrambled to resemble low-level rift activity, and as such it is virtually invisible. Any communications on it are secure.**

**Sincerely,**

**Tess NicNairne, UNIT correspondent via Torchwood**

Still unsurprised, Jack powered down his machine thoughtfully. Several courses of action sprang to mind, but he wanted time to think. Leaning backing his chair, he laced his fingers together behind his head as he brainstormed, and it was this position Ianto found him in as he slipped into the office without knocking.

"Manners, Mr. Jones." Jack reprimanded playfully, his mind still half occupied.

"Please come home with me, then?" Ianto's voice was low; Jack loved how he was so proper at the most improper of times.

"It will have to be later, I'm afraid. Something's come up."

"Weevils again?" Ianto stood. "I'm not quite tired yet, I can go with you if there's one needing to be dealt with."

"No, this is just correspondence stuff. You know how official mail is, late in the day, etcetera." The captain's voice warmed considerably. "But I can see you later… much later, if it's not a problem?"

The Welshman looked slightly crestfallen that his afternoon would be so uneventful, but he nodded quickly at Jack's query. "Of course. You know where to find me, Sir."

"Yes. Yes I do, Mr. Jones."

After a moment of unspoken communication, Ianto ducked from the office, zipping his jacket against the inevitable breeze of outside and heading home. Jack watched him leave, taking in the familiar stride as he moved, a smile curving itself across his lips.

After he'd gone, the captain put up his screensaver and headed into the main Hub, busying himself with a minor diagnostics program at Gwen's computer, as it was nearest the exit.

A few moments later, Tess walked into the room, in the process of winding a light scarf around her neck. She raised a hand, slender fingers waving as she took in Jack's form at the computer.

"Have a good weekend, Sir."

Jack looked up, standing and pretending he hadn't heard her office door close two minutes ago. "You as well… any plans?"

"I thought I'd catch up with Tosh and Owen for a spot, actually - otherwise no. Is this what you've got planned…?" She gestured at the computer, wondering idly if the man ever left.

"No, this is just a maintenance program Tosh forgot to run after the meeting… I'll be on my way soon. I may even stop by the pub myself." There was a hint of promise in his voice, and it made Tess' pulse quicken, even if she didn't understand the whole of it.

"I suppose I might see you later, then…" She smiled, her gaze not missing a detail as she peered up at him through the fringe of her eyelashes.

"You just might." He nodded towards the door. "Mar sin leibh an-drasda, Tess."

The blonde gave a musical laugh in response, her smile immediately more genuine.

"Ceart gu leor - tioraidh, Sir!"

As soon as she had tucked her ID badge into her purse and slipped through the exit, Jack switched off Gwen's computer and headed back to his own, settling down at his desk as he began to type with purpose.

**.-.-.-.**


End file.
